core

## Executing a Measurement Routine with FBM

Mini routines facilitate the execution of a measurement routine with Feature Based Measurement (FBM). For complete information about mini routines, see "Mini Routines".

To execute a partial mini routine with FBM, do the following:

1. Create the mini routine with the required dimensions. For help, see "Mini Routines".

2. Select FBM in the Mode list in the Mini Routines dialog box.

3. To mark the features and dimensions that will be measured, click the Show Marked button. The features and dimensions will be marked in the Edit window.

4. To start the measurement, click the Execute button.

PC-DMIS executes a measurement routine with FBM as follows:

1. PC-DMIS marks the complete measurement routine.

2. PC-DMIS unmarks all features and dimensions.

3. PC-DMIS marks all of the selected dimensions with the Parent mode dependency. This marks all of the required dimensions and features. It also marks all features on which they are dependent.

4. PC-DMIS marks all of the groups for which the execution control is set to ALL ALWAYS.

5. When PC-DMIS executes a measurement routine that has groups for which the execution control is set to FBM CHECK, PC-DMIS determines if any features or dimensions in the group need to be measured.

   - If a group does not have any marked features or dimensions, PC-DMIS does not execute the measurement routine. It also does not execute any other commands in the group (such as move points and tip change commands), whether or not they are marked.

   - If a group has marked features, PC-DMIS executes the group, as marked by the mini routine.

6. For groups for which the execution control is set to AS MARKED, PC-DMIS completely executes the group according to the normal marking rule.

Important Notes

- Mini routines provide a way to measure selected dimensions and features without alignment dependency.

- Be careful if you use the With Alignment Dependencies check box in the Mini Routines dialog box. If you select the check box, it is important to "recall" the necessary alignment at the beginning of every group to ensure that PC-DMIS uses the correct alignment to measure all features.

This functionality is provided for certain industries that may want to quickly re-measure certain dimensions after they measure the complete part without moving the part from its fixture.

- Any command that exists outside of all groups (that is, it does not belong to a group) has a "global scope". PC-DMIS always executes these commands according to their marked status.

- Nested groups follow the same execution rules. If an inner group contains a measurement command, PC-DMIS also executes its outer group.

For example, suppose you have GROUP A and GROUP B. GROUP B is nested inside GROUP A. If execution control is set to FBM CHECK for both GROUP commands, but only GROUP B has features or a marked dimension, GROUP A also executes its marked commands.